Regressive Transformation
by loneguppy
Summary: Walter is willing to risk becoming whole again to help the other side. But it's his old self that Olivia needs to get better. - Rewrite complete.
1. New Mission

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Fringe Division. This is the master situation room, the heart of the operation.

"We employ state-of-the-art tracking technology to monitor pattern events happening on a global basis. In the event of satellite failure, we also have a network of ground monitoring stations.

"We also monitor traffic to and from universes. To date, only one individual can safely travel between universes as we know it. Since she is _traveling_, a demonstration is out of the question.

"You'll be interested to know that this very base is set up for site to site adaptive transit. Since the alternate Fringe Division is based in New York, it was essential to create a link between the two. We are still trying to work out bugs in the system to account for spatial and time distortions.

That's concludes the tour. Don't forget to return your 3D glasses."

The tour group disperses.

"Well done on the orientation, Brandon. I'm glad we hired you."

"Thanks Peter. We've waited years to realize Dr. Bell's dream of bridging the two universes. I wouldn't miss this opportunity for anything."

"You can thank Nina Sharp. It was her idea. She thinks very highly of you."

An alarm sounded.

"Incoming traveler."

Everyone stopped as a figure, on the transit pad, coalesced into the form of Olivia Dunham.

"Welcome back. How was your trip?"

"Uneventful." Her reply was curt and to the point.

Olivia headed for her office purposefully, with Peter in tow. Even though it's been six months, Peter could tell she still walked with a noticeable limp.

Olivia deposited her briefcase on the desk and crossed her arms as she sat down.

"The senate was most lenient. They decided what was best for the state was to have your father serve as science adviser to Fringe Division…We are going to have to work with him to patch things up on the other side."

"Where is Walter?"

"He's with the _kids_."

"How many does that make now?"

"There are eight, including two more from your class in Jacksonville. Astrid says he is obsessed with finding them. After you were taken, he started blaming himself for what happened to Nick Lane and the others. It hasn't been easy convincing him you are OK now."

"I'll have a talk with him. There is something he needs to know."


	2. The Proposal

Olivia met with Walter at the lab. He was in his office. When she found him, he was going through mountains of files and struggling to remember what he was looking for. He had his back to the door. He seemed even more stooped than the last time she saw him.

"Walter."

"Olivia?" He said her name but had not immediately turn around to face her.

"Olivia, is that really you?"

"Yes, Walter. It's me."

He turns slowly with a look of recognition. To Walter, Olivia was a vision of heavenly beauty. As hard as it was to believe, he thought he could see a glowing aura about her.

"Olivia! You are _home_!" He drops what he was doing.

"Come. Come here. Let me have a closer look at you, my dear."

Olivia does as he wishes, looking at him with fondness. Walter lightly strokes her face with one hand and stares into her eyes with great sadness.

"How are you Walter?" Olivia asks with affection.

"Me. I'm getting old. But look at you. You are thin. You are nothing but skin and bones." It was an exaggeration. He holds her by the shoulders at arm length to study her.

"You must have lunch with me. It would make an old man so happy. They are serving chicken pot pie at the cafeteria today."

"You are not that old Walter."

"You are a flatterer."

Walter takes Olivia's arm in his and escorts her out of the lab. Astrid looks on from her computer station and muses how much joy Walter was deriving from Olivia's visit. She rarely get to see him this happy any more. He certainly deserves to be.

Walter and Olivia sit in a quiet corner of the cafeteria. He takes her hands in his.

"Tell me again. How _they_ treated you over there?" Olivia looks to the floor, unable to look him directly in the eyes.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"_Please_…I must know what they did to you. I am not convinced that you are alright." Olivia continues to avert Walter's eyes.

"You yourself have already examined me twice and found nothing wrong."

"It's possible I may have overlooked something." Walter was insistent.

"Please don't make me. I want to just put it all behind me."

"It may help you to heal Olivia." Olivia looked at Walter now and wondered what he meant by that.

"Walter, the reason I came today was to tell you about the meeting I had with the science advisers from the other side…They need your help. But given your current condition, they want to restore your mental faculties first…They are proposing using donor DNA to grow back the missing pieces of your brain."

"Will _he_ be the donor? Of course he will be; we are genetically compatible…" Olivia nods.

"They have perfected cloning techniques. It will take hours instead of days. I wouldn't even consider it if I didn't think it was safe."

Walter looks at Olivia with understanding.

"I failed my psyche evaluation haven't I? Will my personality be intact?"

"I don't know."

"Let me think about it." With that said he walks away.

Olivia watches Walter go, leaving her to ponder if perhaps this was too much to ask of him.


	3. Confessions of Fear

"You said what to him?" Peter was angry at Olivia.

"The man is almost seventy-years-old. On top of which his mental health is very much in question more now than ever before...How could you even suggest such a dangerous operation? As his legal guardian, I forbid it."

"I am sorry Peter. Walter has already agreed to do it. It's been arranged."

"I wish you had come to me first." His attitude softened a bit.

"The decision is ultimately his to make. Who am I to choose for him? Technically, I am not even his family now."

Olivia understood the conflict he was going through. But she also knew he does care for the man he once called Dad. She put a hand on his shoulder.

"Walter still needs you very much. He'll appreciate it all the more if you were by his side."

Olivia and Walter crossed over to the other side the next day. They waited as the surgeons prepared. Walter was agitated. He started to pace back forth.

"Olivia, I am frightened."

Olivia felt just as nervous if not more. She put a reassuring hand on his arm and persuaded him to sit down, while she tried to soothe his anxiety.

"I know you are. I am going to be right there with you."

After a moment of silence, Olivia whispered.

"I never told another soul about this...how scared I was...and angry too...the first time the Secretary stared at me. It was your face, but colder and more calculated. I just remember losing control emotionally right there and then...He never treated me like a human being the whole time I was there. Through the mental abuses, I was able to concentrate on one thing; your last words to us before we crossed. I remembered what you said about harnessing our abilities. When I finally convinced myself that he couldn't hurt me, I was able focus on going home."

Olivia paused to take a steady breath.

"So I have you to thank for that. Thank you for never leaving my side at the hospital and not giving up on my recovery. It was you, Walter, who had to withstand the full brunt of my rage. Is that not a sign of courage? I will not let you forget who Walter Bishop is. You have my word."

Walter was touched by Olivia's confession. He gave her hand a squeeze.

"Let's get on with it then."

Walter sat in a chair in the operating room, while one of the doctors injected Walter with a local analgesic. Olivia stood by wearing a mask.

The surgeon proceeded by cutting open Walter's skull. Olivia watched with concern as he used a laser scalpel. When the incisions were made, a small section of skull was removed from the back of his head. The whole process was efficient, there was no blood loss. For the moment, Walter did not appear to experience any pain.

Just as the specimen dish with the donor DNA was readied for implantation, Olivia noticed Peter standing watch over them in the observation lounge above them.

Olivia made a last minute decision.

"Wait. There has been a change of plans."


	4. Regression

"Peter donated the DNA sample for the procedure?"

"Yes, Walter. I like you the way you are too. I didn't want your personality changed any more than you do. That's why I thought of Peter when I saw him."

Olivia stood by Walter's bed.

"That's wonderful. I feel like a new man already."

Olivia glared at him suspiciously.

"I'm kidding. Mmm. Right now I could really go for some bacon and eggs. When can we leave and get some breakfast?"

Peter and Olivia exchanged glances.

"We should find out soon enough."

As if on cue, the surgeon enters the room.

"Good news Dr. Bishop. The test results show no signs of rejections. Neurons are beginning to fire normally. You are free to go home. I'll make arrangements for your immediate release."

"Thank you, doctor." Walter calls after him as he leaves the room.

Olivia was on her way out too, when she heard a faint whisper.

_You can't go home._

"Did you say something, Peter?"

"No."

"Well. I am going to sign the release papers." With that Olivia leaves Peter to help Walter get ready.

* * *

Darkness was becoming light.

"Olivia! Wake up! Olivia! You OK?" Someone was shouting in her ears.

When Olivia came to, she looked into Peter's concerned expression. She saw that she was lying on a couch in the waiting area outside Walter's room.

"Peter. Mmm. What happened?"

"What was the last thing you remember?"

"I had just signed Walter's release forms."

"Yeah. Well. People saw you passed out."

A doctor was taking her pulse and blood pressure. He nodded that it was OK for Olivia to sit up.

"Whoa." She quickly put her hand on her head.

"You feeling OK?" Peter was worried to see her like this.

"I…uh…yeah…I think so." Peter was not convinced and waited for a second opinion.

"I can't find anything wrong with you. Then again, you may have low blood sugar. In any case, you should take it easy anyways. Don't over exert yourself."

"Thank you, doctor."

Olivia looked to Peter.

"Is Walter ready to go?" Peter nodded.

"Good. I want to get out of here." Peter was puzzled by her insistence.

Back in their own universe, Walter had started examining the data they had gathered of the other New York City to look for a way to fix the rifts.

Olivia dropped by the lab to check in with him.

"Any luck, Walter?"

"The _one_ theory I am ready to postulate has to do with balance. You see our two sides will never be in balance. Their world is far more densely populated than ours. Although our worlds are similar, there are many distinct differences. The proverbial scale is always tipped. So I theorize, what we experience on this side, they must experience with greater effect over there. If I can just quantify the variance, I should be able to theoretically come up with the equation to bring about that balance. Amazing isn't it? I can actually do this."

Walter marches off to his chalkboard to begin his calculations, leaving Olivia in his wake. She was glad he was making progress.

On her way out, Olivia heard a faint whisper.

_Yes you can._

"What? Who just said that?" There was nobody else in the lab. Olivia thought for a moment. She vaguely remembered hearing someone say that to her.

Olivia sat in her office poring over one report after another. She was so immersed in reading, she didn't notice Peter at her door.

"Want to grab some lunch?"

"Hmm. Sure."

When she got up to go, she noticed the scene outside her office flickered momentarily from that of Boston to New York. Olivia stared out the window and dared the scenery to change. But it was still a view of Boston.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

Olivia turned to the door. Instead of Peter, she saw Secretary Bishop. In a state of panic, Olivia backed away.

"Peter! No!" Olivia became hysterical. Peter was by her side in an instant.

"I got you. I got you now." The ersatz Walter was gone. Olivia saw that Peter was really there. She began to cry. She could feel her hold on reality slipping away.

Peter pulled her into a protective bear hug. Small comfort for what she must be going through, but it had the desired effect.

"Take me to the lab." Olivia was able to say that much, when she calmed down a little.

Back at the lab, Walter told Olivia and Peter what he thought had happened.

"As I always suspected, you have been hypnotized. If I am correct, more than once I'm afraid. It seems in each of the occurrences you described, your reaction to the trigger is different."

"Hypnotized? Why is it just happening now?" Olivia asked anxiously.

"Hypnosis is a very effective tool. The Secretary wanted to control you. Why didn't I see that before?"

"So I'm not going insane?" Walter patted her on the back.

"No, my dear, you are to be commended the way you have rationalized everything up to this point."

"How do we know Olivia will not experience this again?"

"We don't. Meanwhile, we better keep Olivia away from the Secretary for now; he is likely to use her against us."

As he spoke, Walter made his way to the lab entrance. Peter calls after him.

"Where are you going?"

"I am going to have words with your father."

"Wait! I'm coming with you."

To Olivia he said, "You stay put. I'll call Astrid to come and keep you company."

Olivia watched as both men left her alone to ponder her predicament.


	5. Walter to the Rescue

**All changes have been made.  
**

* * *

"Sir, Peter Bishop is here to see you."

"Send him in."

"Mr. Secretary."

The Secretary turned around expecting to see his son; instead he stood face to face with Walter.

"What is he doing here?" He spat. Walter glared back with equal vehemence.

"Walter wanted to see you against better judgment. I came along to make sure nothing bad happens to him." The Secretary musters a quick chuckle.

"Are you his bodyguard?"

"Let's put aside pleasantries. I want to know what you did to Olivia Dunham."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Don't play the innocent with me? I want you to undo the hypnosis." The Secretary nods with sudden realization.

"Ah! I see. Let me ask you this. Has Miss Dunham told you how she managed to escape imprisonment?"

"I asked her several times about her captivity. Each time she eluded the question." Peter looks at Walter with surprise.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Major, bring me everything on Project X." The Secretary spoke into the intercom.

"When your Olivia was over here, we designed a mind control experiment to test her abilities in several simulated escape scenarios. We never thought she would best the program the first time. In any event, she did escape back to your universe. From what you have told me, Olivia may still be under its influences and think she is still in a simulation."

"How do we stop it?"

"Not you. Walter." The Secretary looked at Walter.

"Why Walter?"

"In the experiment, I am always her antagonist. Olivia will only recognize my presence. Short of me crossing over myself, there are no other options."

"Walter you must convince her she is safe. Get her to tell you how she escaped. But remember in her mind, it's real life. She has resources that can deliver deadly results. You know what I mean."

Walter nods.

"Back in the 70s, we conducted a similar experiment for foreign intelligence, in which all our test subjects died."

The Secretary's assistant brings in a black box.

"Thank you Major."

"Here is the equipment you will need to bring her out. I hope you are prepared for the onslaught of Miss Dunham's raw emotions. Walter you are literally going into her mind when you enter the simulation to retrieve her."

Peter was beginning to think this was a bad idea. He tries to dissuade Walter.

"Walter, are you sure about this? Olivia is a good shot. You could be killed."

"Son, we don't have a choice." Walter takes the box and proceeds to leave the office.

Olivia and Astrid anxiously wait at the lab for Peter and Walter to return from the alternate universe.

"Hey."

Olivia turned to see Peter come through the doors.

"Hey where's Walter?"

She notices then Walter was just a few steps behind Peter.

Walter who had read the directions for the experiment on the way back walks pass Olivia with the black box and places it next to the computer station. Then he turns around with an object.

"The instructions said that this goes on the subject for it to work."

Before Olivia had a chance to react, Walter places the object on Olivia's temple. He catches her as she slumps forward. Peter only had time to get close enough to support Olivia's limp form before she falls to the ground. He carries her to the nearest cadaver table.

Astrid was completely astounded by their quick actions.

"What's going on?" Peter tried his best to explain in terms as he understood them.

"We are going to deprogram Olivia."

Peter connects the black box to the computer with cables, hoping not to burn out the hard drive or start a fire if the technology happened to be incompatible.

When Peter initiated the simulation sequence, Olivia begins to writhe in pain. Walter was to be applauded for his quick reaction. He didn't need to examine Olivia to know that she could not be waken, but it did confirm his worse fears. Walter tried to remove the device he had attached, but it held fast. Olivia began to settle. As far as he could tell, she had entered into R.E.M. sleep. He felt her wrist and was relieved at least to find her pulse was strong and steady.

"He tricked us." Peter spat.

"Yes, he did...Peter we have to find another way to help her." Walter's hand lingered on Olivia.

"What are you thinking?"

"Astrid, I'm going to need the neural stimulator to read Olivia's dreams."


	6. Dream Weaving

"Walter, I can't shut down the simulation." Shaking his head in frustration, Peter tried various commands to no avail.

"I didn't think you could. It's ingenious really. The device sent a electrical surge and put Olivia immediately in an hypnotic state without the use of drugs. Unfortunately, this thing also fused onto her and cannot be forcibly removed."

Walter worked on the neural stimulator. With lightning speed, he snipped wires and added connections where there was none before. "There. It's ready."

"I've made modifications to it so we can monitor Olivia's theta wave frequency. At the same time, hopefully it should allow me to put her back under my control."

Walter strapped the halo onto his own head and then instructed everyone to put on headphones. A hush descended on the room, after which Walter took a few steps, stumbled, and fell.

"Walter!" Peter rushed to Walter's aid.

"It's OK. It's OK. My body seemed to be experiencing a sleep condition...interesting sensation really...Quick. Bring me the microphone, before I lose consciousness all together.

~xox~

_Olivia, can you hear me? Olivia?  
_

_Walter? Is that you?_

_Yes. It's me._

_What's going on? What's happening to me?_

_That's what we are trying to figure out too. As far as I can tell you are in your own dream state...Tell me what you see._

_It's dark. I can't see anything._

Darkness did surround Olivia all around. There were no visible lights. The only thing Olivia could feel was the ground beneath her feet.

{CLICK CLANK} A metallic sounding switch echoed through. Olivia spun around. She saw a antiquated dentist chair ensconced in light.

"I see the chair from Jacksonville, or one just like that."

"Huh..."

Olivia was startled by scuffling and whispering coming from behind. She turned around to take a look and glimpsed a figure just disappearing into the shadows. "Walter?"

_What is it?_

"I thought I saw you in here just now."

Olivia was more curious than scared. She followed him in. A moment later she was totally engulfed by darkness again.

{CREAK BANG}

"No!"

_Olivia, what's wrong?_

To Olivia, it sounded like a door had slammed shut behind her. She extended her arms and came into contact with a wall. Continuing to feel around, she counted four sides of a room no bigger than six foot wide by six foot long. This sent her into panic mode.

"Oh no no no. I am trapped." She started to cry.

~xox~

Peter and Astrid could see Olivia's body was physically shaking from wracking sobs. Walter noticed that Peter had the urge to offer her comfort.

"Go ahead, son. It might help." Peter brushed the tears from her cheeks.

~xox~

_Olivia. Olivia! It's OK. It's alright. Focus on my voice. Have trust in yourself. You can get out of there._

That seemed to do the trick too, because Olivia's crying lessened.

_Keep your arms outstretched until you come in contact with a wall._

Walter could hear her take a deep breath.

"OK. I can feel the wall. Now what?"

_Now push. Push as hard as you can._

Push Olivia did. She leaned all her weight into it and used her mind too. It wasn't long before the wall seemingly just was not there anymore. She was free.

Footsteps, lots of them, could be heard heading her way. Barring any obstacles, Olivia ran. She ran furiously from the darkness to a forest clearing.

Walter could hear Olivia's panting.

_What's going on. What's happening?_

"I'm in a forest...I am not alone...There is someone chasing me...I don't know why." Olivia paused to tell him in between breaths. "There's no where to hide..."

The noise of her pursuers were almost on top of her. Olivia could see them surround her position; soldiers armed to the teeth. She swallowed as she checked for a gun. She had none. Standing by a huge tree, Olivia adopted an defensive posture. The moment they aimed their weapons at her, she braced herself for a barrage of bullets. No sooner had she brought up an arm as if to shield herself, a wall of fire sprang up from out of nowhere and repelled her executioners.

_Olivia. What's happening now?_

"I am OK. I guess I started a fire."

Sure that they could not come near her because of the flames, Olivia stood in the centre of it. She could hear hands clapping twice. The fire died down as quick as it had started. She turned toward the sound to see who it was.

"Walternate!" They could all hear her hiss.

Olivia's first instinct was to grab for her gun. She was surprised to find one there, where a moment ago it was not. She drew her weapon out and pointed it at him.

"Olivia. What are you doing? It's me; Walter." He put his hands on his chest for emphasis.

"Don't come any closer. Or I'll shoot. I mean it."

He ignored her warning and advanced. One. Two. Two steps. On reflex, Olivia squeezed off two rounds in his direction.

In the lab, Walter jerked a couple of times.

"Oh my."

Olivia had her eyes closed the whole time. When she finally found the courage to look, the person on the ground wasn't Walternate at all.

"Walter?...No!".

~xox~

"Oh my."

Bright red blooms grew on his clothes. Fortunately since he was already on the ground, he didn't have far to fall. Astrid was the first to react.

"Oh my god! Walter!"

"Walter!"

How was it possible? It looked as if Walter's been wounded by phantom bullets.

Spurred into action, Astrid retrieved the first aid kit. At the same time, she was on the phone dialing 911. Since Astrid had the situation well in hand, Peter's attention shifted back to Olivia. She was still unconscious.

"Olivia."

Without needing Peter's help, Olivia woke up on her own and immediately rushed to Walter's side.

"Sorry. I'm so sorry."

"It's alright. It's not your fault. The Secretary exacted his revenge. Somehow he has tapped into your potential and succeeded in redirecting your anger for him toward me."

Walter was in obvious pain.

~xox~

Walter was in recovery after the doctors stopped his bleeding. The doctors were still perplexed by his unusual condition. What could have caused bleeding without visible wounds? That's a mystery they may never be able to figure out.

Olivia sat in the waiting room, waiting for Peter to bring news. She didn't notice that he had returned. A tap on her should brought her out of her reverie.

"Hey. He wants to see you."

Walter watched Olivia approached his bed slowly. She held her head low, unable to look at him face to face. He lifted her chin up with his finger. He saw her tear stained eyes.

"Olivia...I am not upset with you. Don't make it hard on yourself."

When she didn't speak, Walter continued.

"It's over you know. I believe you broke the spell without my help."

"I wish I could be so sure."

"It's true. The Secretary was betting on a sure thing. He couldn't have counted on you having a conscience. I couldn't have been prouder of the self-control you exhibited. It's a sign of strength. Never forget that."

On hearing his praise, Olivia graced him with a smile.

"Now that you are really back, I had Peter bring this for me." Walter produced something gray.

"You left it at the lab, before you went away."

Olivia blinked several times. It was her scarf. Touching it now she became at once familiar with its texture.

"I understand what you are trying to tell me. Thanks Walter. I am glad to have you on my team."

"Good. Now go find Peter. I am ready to check out. I feel like celebrating your success tonight."

~END~

* * *

**There! I have written a chapter to my satisfaction. Walter is still the hero in the end, at least to Olivia.  
**

**Please let me know what you think.**


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